been doing some research on private rail cars, and I saw something about a former AMTK hi level car named sunflower. however, as i tried to find more info on it and the owner that is so-called "Americas Rails". and i found no main site, hardly any pictures, or any further info.

so, is this all a just another load of BS, or is Sunflower a really well hidden private car

Figuring every photo on a website with the car is photoshopped and poorly done at that, I’d say yes.


https://americantrainvacations.com/cars-trains/

Edit: The “Dome Car” photos provided are also HO scale models..

And at the very bottom of the page is this gem:

(I'm having flashbacks to the New England Railroad several years back)
http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11547&p=52990&hilit=New+England+Railroad#p52990

This looks more like a website for a tour bundler which has gotten ahead of itself. Without commentating on the merits of the business plan I wouldn't yell "SCAM!" too loudly yet.

What the two esteemed attorneys wrote in 2004 seems to be quite apropos for this latest flight of fantasy. This one has lots of purported "experience", but again, no names.

Gotta go, popcorn is almost ready.

Howard P.

My neighbors who worked for Budd must be proud.

"Sunflower" looks like a Santa Fe High Level coach, proportions may be slightly distorted to look longer.

The Dome Car "Hibiscus" looks like a CPR Skyline car.

The Sleeper "Violet" looks like a rebuilt CPR Manor Car.

Couplers on Hibiscus and Violet are Kadee or clones.

Phil Mulligan

Under employment opportunities, there’s this:

“In the meantime, please contact Barry Jones if you have an interest in working on or with the trains, or in vacation or Train’Share (timeshare) sales – 817 696-1507 – info@americastrain.com.”

With apologies to Rod Serling, “It’s a timeshare!”

Cut and pasted from the Better Business Bureau website:

Business Details
Location of This Business
2554 Via Azalee Apt 311, Benbrook, TX 76109
BBB File Opened: 12/4/2019
Years in Business: 9
Business Started: 1/30/2012
Business Incorporated: 1/30/2012
Type of Entity: Corporation
Alternate Business Name
America's Trains
America's Trains, Inc.
Business Management
Mr. Barry L Jones, Owner
Contact Information
Principal
Mr. Barry L Jones, Owner
Customer Contact
Mr. Barry L Jones, Owner

First base, Bugs Bunny. Second base, Bugs Bunny. Shortstop, Bugs Bunny...

According to the search tools, the phone number listed, 817-696-1507, is a wireless Metro PCS number.

Bing maps shows a typical apartment/condo complex. Good news is he apparently has a nice little pool convenient to his unit.

The address listed is only a twenty minute drive from my house. I'm half tempted to just swing by and ask.

Looks to be in a gated community (Dixon at Stonegate), neither Google Street View nor Bing Streetside made it past the entrance. In addition to the pool it is right next to a golf course and the now humpless UP Davidson Yard.

I can't find him on Facebook but Mr. Jones does have a Linkedin account, which makes for an interesting read. I had never heard of the 'Snoozer' bus cruise before, which was once mentioned in Time Magazine.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/p-barry-jones-098165151

http://content.time.com/time/subscriber ... 35,00.html

American Train Vacations was also the subject of a trainorders thread about a year ago, the participants over there seem to have reached a similar conclusion as to its viability.

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/ ... ?4,5123864

Looks like he started promoting this venture back in 2017.

https://resorttrades.com/luxury-train-v ... re-coming/

https://www.travelagentcentral.com/tour ... commission

And for the lawyers and accountants, here is a SEC filing of financial statements from the last several years.

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data ... ment_4.pdf

From the looks of things, you can already reserve something that doesn't yet exist.

At least with Blue Origin and SpaceX, you have a shot a getting something for your $.

Here, not so sure.

Even if you're not an accountant, look at that disclosure. Last time I saw anything like that was the Florida Fun Train (FTRN Nasdaq listing 10-K back in the 90's) but at least it actually ended up running.

It's not necessarily a terrible concept, just reminds me of the old Texas saying of 'all hat and no cattle'.

And yeah, at least two of the three cars shown are absolutely HO models. His financial statements, however, show $473K for rail cars, which might be enough to own a hilevel.

It’s possible that they cater to short people, 0.9” tall or less, with or without base, painted or unpainted.

Both domains were registered in 2010 so this has been percolating a while. What I find interesting is that they will drop cars along the way at vacation spots and pick them up on the way back. Not with Amtrak. Terminals only, if at all.

The Hi-Level car in question does exist. It is at Gateway Rail Services in Madison IL. It is the only Amtrak Certified Hi-Level PV to be put in service so far (by the previous owner). As I recall, the previous name of the car was "Mesa Verde".

Not sure he has had much done to the interior yet, but evidently he does own the car.

.

Somebody's gotten sassy in his retirement! lol